


bottled thoughts of angry young (wo)men

by titaniaeli



Series: bad children of the revolution [2]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hidden Relationship(s), M/M, Threesome - F/M/M, everyone is just sad and dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 09:15:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9812798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniaeli/pseuds/titaniaeli
Summary: Gale gets angry, Katniss gets angry and Peeta just wanted them to stop fighting and get back in his arms. The only thing worse that could happen was Haymitch finding out about their relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

He woke up with his back aching in protest and arm pressed tight against his belly, but it was the best sleep he had gotten in this entire week. The sunlight was starting to filter in through the pale curtains, shining over Peeta’s golden hair. The younger boy was stirring at his movement, his grip tightening slightly around Gale’s waist and Katniss’s shoulders.

He glanced down when he felt cold steel shifted against his thigh. Peeta’s pant leg had slipped up slightly sometime during the night, revealing the prosthetic leg underneath. Gale suddenly felt nauseated, shaking with barely concealed rage at the Capitol.

Unfortunately, his movement woke Katniss up and she lifted her head sleepily. For a moment, panic gripped her visage as her eyes remained unfocused on them. She jerked away, sending the three of them tumbling across the soft carpet.

“Catnip?” Gale was still simmering, but with Peeta’s pant leg slipping back down and Katniss’s fear glaring in his face, he felt his rage slowly dissipated. “Catnip, it’s me. You’re safe. You’re back in 12.”

Katniss relaxed, but it was a slow process. He could still see the tension knotted in her shoulders, but she smiled slightly at the familiar nickname falling from his lips.

“I had missed that.” She murmured. Gale looked confused but she merely shook her head, sitting up and reaching out for him. He gripped her hand back instantly, although he was still pressed close against Peeta’s body.

“You both came back.” Gale said softly, watching them with dark eyes. His gaze was unreadable, but she could see his exhaustion by the purplish bruises under his eyes.

“And you hadn’t been sleeping.” Peeta commented, brushing a lock of dark hair from his face.

Gale fought the urge to lean to his touch and bury his face against Katniss’s neck. He felt vulnerable and needy, and he was embarrassed by his clinginess.

“It’s hard to get a proper sleep when the two people you love is fighting to the death on live television.” He said dryly.

“Well, it’s still early.” Katniss murmured, her hand squeezing around his bicep. She was a Victor now, and she wanted to sleep in today. She tried to move forward, but Gale flinched. She froze at his reaction, and peered at his face.

His mouth was pursed in a thin line, a frown wrinkling his forehead. He had that uncertain look on his face, like he wanted to broach a topic but was unsure on how to proceed.

“What is it?” Peeta coaxed gently, not quite touching him.

Gale looked up at them, his eyes darkening and his voice low as he spoke, “You tried to commit double suicide.”

Katniss stiffened and leaned away from him instinctively, her defences raising up instantly. Peeta turned pale but he didn’t move away. His face was a mixture of guilt and obstinacy.

“Not for real.” She tried to explain, but even to her ears, she sounded hostile and defensive to his accusation. “It’s the only way to force them to make us both winners.”

“You don’t know that.” Gale snapped, tearing away from them. “And it looked pretty real to me with the nightlock berries in your hands. What if they had not stopped you? What if your plan had not worked?”

“But it _worked_.” Katniss insisted, scrambling to her feet. “We are both alive. Does it even matter now?”

“Does it matter?” He repeated incredulously, struggling to keep his voice level. “The both of you nearly died! Whatever lies you tried to convince yourself or me, Katniss, you clearly expected to die out there!”

“That’s not true!” She spat back, cheeks flushing in anger. “What will you have me do? It’s the only thing I could think of at that time!”

Peeta struggled to his feet, still not quite used to his new prosthetic leg.

“I would not have you done something so utterly reckless, for one!” Gale retorted. Tiredness was still dragging at his body, and anger made his skin flushed with heat, his heartbeats roaring in his ears. The betrayal and fear were catching up to him now, and it wasn’t a good feeling.

“If we had not done that, we would have been dead anyway!” She shouted in frustration.

“You promised me that you would do whatever it takes to bring Peeta home. You promised me you would _fight_.” He said, mentally congratulating himself for not letting his voice cracked. “The both of you promised me that.”

Peeta was caught in his betrayed gaze, and he felt guilt and pain curdled in his chest. With so many things happening in the past few hours, he didn’t stop to think that Gale had watched them attempted suicide on live television.

“You made me watched you both tried to _kill_ yourself.” This time, Gale’s voice did break. “I thought the both of you are going to _die_.”

“Gale…” Katniss tried to step towards him, but he stumbled away, shaking his head furiously.

“You have no idea how it feels like to be helpless when the people you love are fighting for their lives. Or how frustrated and powerless it is to do nothing but _watch_. I could have lost you both.” He breathed raggedly.

“Gale, you know we would have done everything to come back to you.” Peeta pleaded.

“Apparently not everything.” He replied, immediately feeling like a bastard at the hurt look that flickered over Peeta’s face.

He turned around and left the room, startling Katniss into motion. He ignored her angry calls and nearly ran down a sleepy Prim coming out into the hallway as he fled.

He felt like a coward and a scum. They had nearly died, and they don’t deserve his horrible words. But the betrayal and terror crawled under his skin like poison, refusing to be shaken off. His logical side argued that they were right, that taking the nightlock berries was a good plan to force the Capitol into action. It was a risky move, but it _worked_. But he could not forget the heart stopping moment when they lifted the berries to their mouths, the sheer grief and panic nearly rocking him off his feet before they were stopped, that they were so, _so_ close to being dead.

The blast of icy air shocked him out of his panicking as he dashed out of Katniss’s new home. His pace picked up and he started to run, wanting to be anywhere but _here_ at the moment.

* * *

 

When he finally calmed down, he started to feel less of a bastard but more of a fool. At least he didn’t have to see Katniss and Peeta. They were finishing the moving in today and would probably stay busy the whole day, so he kept himself engaged as well to take his mind off the fight.

His impending graduation loomed over his head like an overcast cloud too. Now that the Hunger Games were over and the excitement (in District 12, at least) was starting to die down, it finally occurred to him that he was soon finishing school and it was time to start his ‘adult’ life in the coal mines.

Thinking of the deep, dark mines underground, of being trapped with no air, of the fear of being crushed by the dirt and soil, haunted his dreams. And he knew that dreaming of Katniss and Peeta’s deaths would soon joined his nightmares.

“Gale?” Hazelle called out, peering into the kitchen. “You didn’t came back last night.”

He tried not to show his mortification on his face, keeping his gaze away from his mother. In his rush to see Katniss and Peeta last night, he had forgotten to inform his mother that he wasn’t coming home.

“I was helping out at Katniss’s.” He lied.

He noticed Hazelle’s narrowed eyes reflecting off the kettle beside him. He hid a wince, wishing that he could lie better.

“Gale, you... Did you spend the night at her place?” She asked.

She has never really cared before, he mused. Perhaps it was the revelation of her newfound relationship status with Peeta. He felt a flicker of irritation and swiftly stamped it down. Hazelle was merely asking out of concern.

“On her _couch_.” He stated curtly. “It was late, and Katniss asked me to stay for the night.”

He just had a fight with Katniss, and he really, really didn’t want to get into another argument with his mother now.

“I’ll be going…” He paused. No, the woods was too dangerous at the moment. With the Capitol’s attention currently focused on District 12, venturing beyond the fences was foolish. It hasn’t even been more than a day since Katniss and Peeta returned. “To the school to pick up something.”

He picked up his jacket on the way out, avoiding his mother’s eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gale have separate conversations with his two lovers.

“When are you going to stop avoiding us?” Katniss’s voice was low and accusing, and her tone made him bristled immediately. He could feel her scorching gaze on his back, and he pointedly ignored her to concentrate on the snare in front of him. Slim, deft fingers weaved ropes in a methodical manner, tightening knots and adjusting the trap into position.

He needed to prepare for winter as the weather has been getting cooler. With his work at the mines starting soon, it would be harder for him to hunt for food.

He stood up when he’s done and stepped away gingerly, not wanting to accidentally trigger the trap.

“We need to talk.” Katniss said brusquely. He would have felt better if she doesn’t have to sound like it’s a chore.

He spun around with a defiant stare, challenging her to speak.

“Peeta told you to talk to me, didn’t he?” He snarked. He observed the look of irritation on her face, relishing at how easily he could rile her up.

They were best friends since children, and they got along easily with their similar personalities, but that just meant they have the same temperament.

“This is not about Peeta.” She hissed. She looked tired and worn out from not sleeping, her dark eye bags and hair limp and greasy around her face. He felt guilt hit him immediately, but pride refused to let him backed down first and apologized.

“Of course not.” He snapped, snatching up his bow from the ground. He glanced at his supply of arrows and mentally reminded himself to start gathering feathers for fletching. Despite her light footedness, he could still hear Katniss following behind him, so in tune with her body movements that he couldn’t help but _not_ sense her presence.

“Avoiding us is not going to solve any problems, Gale.” She growled, leaves barely rustling as she rushed forward to catch up with his longer strides.

“Neither is trying to kill yourself.” He shot back nastily, not even bothering to look back at her. He heard a hitch of breath, before he was wrenched back by a strong grip on his arm. In spite of her size, Katniss was tougher and stronger than she looked.

“Enough!” She snarled. He waited as she took several calming breaths, closing her eyes briefly to rein back her temper. Being with Peeta had improved her temper and taught her to assess her harsh words before she speaks, but sometimes her sharp tongue still betrayed her. “Gale... this is getting ridiculous. Peeta needs you.” _I need you._

 _Dying was supposed to be a last resort_ , he thought. Something clenched his heart whenever he remembered Katniss and Peeta’s hands filled with berries, the acceptance on their faces as they lifted the poisonous fruits to their mouths and the desperation choked in his throat at his helplessness for not being able to stop _anything_.

When his loved ones needed him, he was useless, useless, _useless_.

“You still don’t get why I’m angry, do you?” He said with a snap, but it was half-hearted and more tired than anything. Katniss’s hand went slack around his arm and he finally pulled himself free from her grasp.

Anger still churning in his chest, he stalked back home, afraid to turn back and see her reaction. He was getting pretty good at running.

* * *

 

Peeta was bemused when he woke up to see Gale bustling around his room and picking up clothes that he had carelessly thrown on the floor the night before.  

“Gale?” He called out drowsily, fighting with the sheets tangled around his body. The older boy moved over and effortlessly freed him, pulling him out silently. At least he hadn’t woke up with a nightmare entangled in his sheets and toppled off the bed in mad panic.

“You hadn’t been sleeping well.” Gale frowned, unknowingly echoing the words that Peeta had said the day he returned to District 12.

“I have good days and bad days.” He shrugged, smiling humourlessly. He dragged himself closer to the edge of the bed, so he could lean against Gale. He doesn’t even know how many days it has been since Gale had ran out on them after their quarrel, but he could tell that the older boy was still furious with him.

“You’re still angry.” He pointed out unnecessarily.

Gale’s body shifted, his eyes averting. Peeta’s hand snapped out to wrap around his hip so he couldn’t flee again. Like Katniss, Gale has a tendency to fight back when confronted, and flee if uncomfortable.

“I suppose you’ve been speaking with Katniss.” Gale muttered.

At the mention of their third, Peeta’s smile wavered. He loved Katniss, truly, but sometimes she was more stubborn than the three of them combined.

“Actually, no.” He said lightly. “I hadn’t really seen her for the last few days.”

Gale stared down at him wordlessly, not sure what to say. He was expecting the two of them to be commiserating with each other for their shared experiences in the Games, not avoiding each other which... was actually unsurprising, to be honest.

Maintaining a relationship was already an issue in District 12, much less one with _two_ people. They hadn’t known how things would work in the beginning, struggling to figure out how to spend time together without making anyone feel left out or unloved. It was a lot of hard work and hesitance and risks.

And Gale have loved Katniss since they were young, so he had viewed Peeta an interloper at first when she had one day brought the baker boy to the woods. However, it was hard to dislike someone as _nice_ as Peeta. Eventually, things evolved between the three of them. Someone confessed – probably Peeta, they learned to discuss and talk things out, before finally promising to make this relationship worked.

Of course, they still have their difficulties, made much worse with the recent Games.

Gale missed them so much, and he’s afraid things were going to change now.

“I have missed you.” Peeta confessed, speaking what he could not say out loud on his own. He felt a lump formed in his throat and he felt his resolve to stay angry weakened.

“When I was in the arena... I thought I was going to die in there, but not before making sure Katniss gets out alive. I would have done everything to make sure she goes home to you.” Peeta said quietly. “I was _prepared_ to die. I thought that... if only one of us can go home, at least let that person be Katniss.” He swallowed heavily, glancing at Gale’s face. “I thought that you’d be happier with her.”

“ _Idiot._ ” Gale glowered darkly. “One, you’re an overprotective fool if you think Katniss would be happy you’re sacrificing your life for her. Two, you’re also an imbecile if you think I’ll be happy with only Katniss – _or_ you coming back alone to me.” He leaned down, clutching Peeta’s shoulder fiercely. “I want _both_ of you to come back home.”

Peeta chuckled wetly, dragging him down further to kiss him. He tasted of salt and morning breath, but Gale could care less of any of that.

“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.” Peeta whispered. “I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m sorry for trying to kill myself without thinking of you. I’m sorry for breaking my promises.”

“I know.” Gale murmured. “I know.”

Peeta’s blue eyes were glistening with dampness, pale blond hair sticking to his forehead. He looked exhausted and wrecked. He hasn’t been eating well either, Gale thought. But at that moment, Peeta’s happiness could drown him.

“I’ll speak to Katniss.” Peeta promised.

He nodded quietly, and goes easily when Peeta pulled him into bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gale's invited for dinner. Haymitch finally found out.

Gale looked up at the luxurious house, standing awkwardly in the front yard. After several seconds of deliberation, he steeled himself and walked up to the porch. Raising his arm, he knocked on the door twice.

The door swung open, revealing Peeta on the other side smiling widely. He gave the blonde a small smile in return and stepped into the house.

“Finally decided to come in?” Peeta whispered, a hand hovering on the small of his back. He felt himself flushed and shot the younger boy a glare.

“You’ve been watching me.” He accused.

Peeta shrugged in response, limping past him to enter the kitchen. Katniss was standing beside the dining table, and when she looked up, she stiffened at the sight of him.

“Hey, Catnip.” He greeted softly, after a long moment of them staring at each other across the room.

“I’m going to get the roast duck.” Peeta said loudly, clearing his throat. “Help me with the table?”

Katniss mumbled an agreement, but she didn’t take her eyes off him. He watched Peeta disappeared into the kitchen, his prosthetic leg reverberating against the floor. There goes any chance of Peeta actually learning to walk quietly now.

Gale walked forward, seeing the cutlery stacked in a small basket. Woodenly, he quickly set the plates out and utensils for three. Katniss didn’t move.

“I’m sorry.” She blurted out. He froze, and might have stopped breathing as he looked up at her. She was biting her bottom lip, cheeks flushed and expression fixed in a grimace. He was too surprised at her apology to react for the next few seconds.

Whatever wonders Peeta had done to pry out an apology from Katniss, he would like to learn that too.

“Are you just apologizing for the sake of apologizing or do you even know why you’re apologizing?” Of course, Gale being Gale, could not resist antagonizing her in response.

“Peeta explained to me why.” She gritted her teeth, grey eyes burning in irritation. She refused to raise to the bait. Gale has a tendency to be unreasonable when he’s angry, and she needed to keep calm to prevent things from blowing up.

“Good for you.” He snarled, slamming a fork down so hard the whole table shook slightly. He turned away sharply to focus on the bottle of liquor, fuelling his anger into unscrewing the cap.

“Gale, _I’m sorry_. You know sometimes I don’t know how _this_ works.” She gestured wildly between them, as if _‘this’_ encompassed their entire relationship. “When I’m scared, I run. I’m trying my best here... but sometimes I don’t know if I’m enough. I know I fucked up a lot of things. I’m trying... I really, really am. I want to _try_.”

“You are.” He said quietly, watching her unravelled in front of him. Whatever she has gone through in the arena, it has made her desperate and scared.

When he should have held on to her, _he_ ran instead. He knew Katniss for years, does it really surprised him anymore with the decisions she made?

“I’m not angry... I’m _frightened_.” He admitted, hands falling limp. “I thought that both of you will die and I’ll have to live the rest of my life alone, feeling that grief everyday till I choked to death somewhere under those mines.” He peered at her under dark lashes, shame flickering in his eyes. “I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to survive.”

“You are. _You are_.” She said forcefully, walking around the table to grip his hand. “I want to apologize for scaring you... but I won’t apologize for my choice in that arena. It’s the only choice I can made at that time... and I would do it again.”

“I know.” He said, tiredness etched into his skin. He hated it, but he _understood_.

Katniss and he have always been far too alike.

“I’m not stupid enough to think I can keep you safe, or make you promise not to do anything reckless.” He murmured. “But killing yourself... let that be the last resort, alright?”

“I can do that.” Katniss smiled tentatively.

Her grey eyes were warm with fondness, and even the exhaustion and scars of her nightmares could not take away how beautiful she was.

“PEETA? BOY, ARE YOU IN HERE? DAMMIT, DO YOU NOT HEAR ME KNOCK—”

Haymitch appeared around the corner suddenly, and judging by the look of shock on his face, Katniss and Gale did not separated in time for him to not notice their intimate position.

Even a fool could tell there was something going on with Katniss holding onto his hand, leaning so close their bodies were just a breath away and her lips brushing his in a gentle whisper.

“We can explain.” There was a cough in the kitchen’s direction and Gale’s head whipped over to see the blonde leaning casually against the threshold.

* * *

 

It would have been amusing in a different circumstance, to see Katniss squirming like a naughty child and Peeta shifting nervously despite the forced calm on his face. Haymitch took the news well, or as well as he could look. He had sat down on the couch, his face growing stonier and stonier as Peeta explained about their relationship.

“I need a drink.” Haymitch finally said.

With the lack of anything to do, Gale fetched a glass of white liquor over. Haymitch looked surprised but accepted the drink.

“Are you saying that this has been going on since... before the Games and you didn’t think to tell me of _him_?” He banged the drink on the table, making Peeta jumped. Gale bristled at the older Victor’s tone, but remained silent.

“It’s not like it’s important.” Katniss answered. “Gale wasn’t there with us. Dragging him in would just direct the Capitol’s attention to him.”

“You should have told _me_!” Haymitch said sharply, before his voice lowered. “There are cameras everywhere. You think Snow haven’t already known about him? Have you forgotten your stunt in the arena?”

“What about it?” Katniss asked in confusion.

“What you’ve done will no doubt be viewed as an act of rebellion. With your stunt, you might ignite a possible uprising amongst the Districts.” Haymitch leaned over and said quickly, urgently. “What do you think Snow will do to him?”

The mention of an uprising sent a chill down Gale’s spine. His blood burned with excitement over the news, but the thought of his lovers being so close to danger tasted like bile on his tongue. It was evident that Katniss and Peeta would be dragged into the crossfire.

“Nothing.” He interrupted abruptly. “The whole of Panem already knows I’m Katniss’s ‘cousin’. I would be in danger no matter what I am known to her.”

“There’s a world of difference between being known as Katniss’s cousin and being the lover of 12’s newest Victors, boy.” Haymitch said solemnly. “It makes you more than indispensable to these two.”

Haymitch left shortly after leaving the three of them to swallow down his warnings. Gale stepped towards Katniss, frowning when she flinched at his movement.

“No, you don’t do this, Catnip.” He shook his head, lunging at her to embrace her. “If the Capitol already knows, then I’ll not let you push me away.”

He felt her resistance from the stiffness of her body, even as he dug his fingers into her back.

“Don’t push me away, Katniss.” He pleaded.

Her defenses cracked and she gripped him back. She blindly reached out for Peeta, and when he clutched her hand in response, she pulled him in. Gale closed his eyes and rested his chin on the top of her head, and leaned into the warmth of Peeta’s body at his back.

“You’re not shutting me out.” He insisted. “Either of you.”

The two Victors pressed in closer, and he felt something loosened in his chest. Snow would have to tear him from Peeta and Katniss if he wants to take them away from him. His heart filled with a sense of purpose, protectiveness sweeping over him. He clutched back with equal desperation.

There’s a storm coming in the horizon, and Gale would be ready for it. But for now, he’s just satisfied with how things were, in the arms of the two closest people in his life and dinner wafting deliciously in the dining room.


End file.
